AURORA, Colo. (KDVR) — The Aurora Police Department is investigating after two juveniles were shot during a street racing event early Monday morning.
The shooting happened at East Alameda Avenue and South Peoria Street before 12:24 a.m.
Police responded to the area on a report of street racers blocking the intersection and shooting off fireworks. When they arrived at the intersection, they found a male and female juvenile who had been shot.
Both victims were taken to the hospital in unknown conditions. They are expected to survive, according to APD.
No suspect information has been released at this time.
“It was very scary. It sounded like wheels, (sound effect) and I wondered what is that? It scared me so bad I went down to the basement and just sat on the floor,” said one neighbor who did not want to be identified.
“I saw two cars just going round and round making a lot of noise doing fireworks as well. It took like 10 or 15 minutes before police arrived and then they just all disappeared. They just went like crazy (sound effect),” Julio Gonzalez said.
In 2020, APD issued eight citations for speed contests. Last year, the number dropped to three.
In July of last year, the city passed an ordinance that would allow it to seize cars belonging to street racers.
“It was to give our officers additional tools to deal with the very dangerous and illegal street racing that has gone on for decades,” Mayor Pro Tem Francoise Bergan, who helped pass the ordinance said.
Bergan provided FOX31 with this statement:
I sponsored the vehicular nuisance ordinance last year to give our officers additional tools to deal with the very dangerous and illegal street racing that has gone on for decades, after hearing complaints from our residents.
People who engage in this dangerous illegal activity put everyone’s lives at risk. They need to think about how their racing and carelessness can cause the death of innocent victims. Their actions can have life-changing and disastrous consequences for themselves and for innocent people.
Of course, police often find that other crimes are connected with illegal organized street racing.
The ordinance provides for the abatement of the vehicle used in street racing for up to a year with a temporary restraining order. There is due process and owners can meet with the court to enter an agreement. If they choose to enter such agreement and are caught violating the ordinance, their vehicle will be impounded.
It is not clear if any cars have been seized.
If have any information about this incident, please contact Metro Denver Crime Stoppers at 720-913-7867. You can also anonymously report street racing here.